What Happened to Abby Choi? Why was She Murdered?
by Janani | Updated May 31, 2023
Who was Abby Choi?
Abby Choi was a model, socialite, and Internet celebrity from Hong Kong. She was reported missing on February 2023, and her lifeless body was tragically discovered three days later. The shocking discovery took place in a village located in Tai Po, a suburb of Hong Kong. Regrettably, her body was found without a head, and it was further revealed that some body parts had been concealed in a refrigerator and others had been subjected to cooking.
Abby was born into a regular family, but her circumstances changed when her mother divorced her biological father. Her mother later remarried a man with the surname Tsoi (also spelled Choi in Chinese), who became Abby's stepfather. In addition to Abby, her mother and stepfather had two younger daughters, making them Abby's half-sisters.
As time went on, Abby's parents achieved financial success through their ventures in construction and mining businesses in Mainland China. Their wealth grew significantly, and at the time of Abby's death, she was believed to have a personal net worth exceeding HK$100 million, according to some estimates.
Abby's stepfather, Mr. Tsoi (or Choi), also demonstrated a commitment to philanthropy. He co-founded the Paomes Charitable Organisation, a group dedicated to providing assistance and support to stray animals in need. Through this organization, they aimed to make a positive impact and contribute to the well-being of stray animals in their community.
What Happened to Abby Choi?
On 21 February 2023, Abby was reported missing, which led to a distressing turn of events. Three days later, on 24 February 2023, her lifeless body was tragically discovered in a village situated in Tai Po, a suburb of Hong Kong. The nature of the discovery was deeply unsettling as her body was found decapitated. Disturbingly, it was revealed that certain body parts had been hidden in a refrigerator, while others had been subjected to cooking. These harrowing details only add to the gravity of the situation surrounding Abi's tragic fate.
Law enforcement authorities have apprehended a total of seven suspects in connection with Choi's murder. Those arrested include her former husband, former brother-in-law, former parents-in-law, the alleged mistress of her former father-in-law, and two friends of her former husband. The investigation into this heinous crime is currently underway, with ongoing efforts to gather evidence and ascertain the full details of the case.
Why was Abby Choi Murdered?
According to authorities in Hong Kong, the motive behind Abby Choi's murder appears to be a financial dispute with her ex-husband's family. It is reported that the family expressed dissatisfaction with how she managed her assets, which ultimately became a driving force behind the crime.
Superintendent Alan Chung stated that a member of the family was evidently dissatisfied with Abby's handling of her assets, and this dissatisfaction escalated to the point of becoming a motive for the murder.
Choi and her ex-husband's family were allegedly embroiled in a long-standing conflict concerning properties and financial matters that had been divided during their divorce proceedings. The ongoing dispute likely contributed to the strained relationship and may have played a role in the tragic outcome.
Abby Choi Update
On February 24, 2023, three days following her vanishing, the decapitated body of 28-year-old Abby Choi was discovered at a residence in a village in Tai Po, Hong Kong. Shockingly, it was revealed that certain body parts had been concealed in a refrigerator, while others had been subjected to cooking. Consequently, the police officially classified the case as a murder.
Choi's absence was first reported when she failed to pick up her daughter from school as she normally would. It was noted that her last known sighting was entering a vehicle driven by her hired driver, who happened to be her former brother-in-law. In addition to these gruesome details, law enforcement authorities stated that a meat slicer and electric saw were found at the scene.
Abby Choi Murdered
After the discovery of Abby Choi's murder, the police initiated investigations and made several arrests in connection with the case. Initially, three suspects were arrested on 25 February 2023. Among them was Anthony Kwong Kong-kit, Choi's former brother-in-law and hired driver, along with the first suspect's parents, who were previously Choi's parents-in-law before her divorce from her first husband, Alex Kwong Kong-chi. Choi had married Alex Kwong at the age of 18 and had two children during their three-year marriage. Following their divorce, Choi married her current husband, Chris Tam. Despite the divorce, Choi maintained a close relationship with her former husband and his family.
Alex Kwong became the fourth suspect after a citywide manhunt by the police. He was apprehended while attempting to escape Hong Kong by sea. Allegations pointed to Kwong Kau, Choi's former father-in-law and a former policeman accused of rape, as the mastermind behind Choi's death. The motive was believed to stem from a financial dispute, involving a luxury apartment supposedly purchased by Choi and registered under Kwong Kau's name. The luxury apartment, situated in the prestigious Kadoorie Hill in Kowloon Tong, added another layer to the case.
On 26 February 2023, the police made a grisly discovery. Choi's severed head and some of her ribs were found inside a pot of cooked soup. Another suspect, Ng Chi Wing, a 47-year-old mistress of Kwong Kau, was arrested for assisting Alex Kwong in his attempt to flee Hong Kong. The search for the remaining body parts, including the hands and torso, was still ongoing, with a large number of officers mobilized for the search. The police also conducted inquiries among the local villagers to gather more information related to the case. DNA testing conducted in March 2023 confirmed that the recovered head belonged to Choi.
On 27 February 2023, murder charges were filed against Alex Kwong, his brother, and father. Alex Kwong's mother was charged with perverting the course of justice. All four suspects were denied bail and held in remand while investigations continued. Additionally, Ng, charged with abetting a murder suspect, was released on bail. It was revealed that Alex Kwong was also a suspect in seven cases of alleged theft spanning nearly a decade prior to Choi's murder. He had previously absconded while scheduled to appear in court in 2015, and he faced charges related to these cases as well.
Further developments in the case included the arrest of Lam Shun, a 41-year-old suspected of aiding and abetting Kwong's attempted escape by boat, and Irene Pun Hau-yin, a friend of Alex Kwong, who was arrested in Shenzhen, China for abetting his escape. Pun was later granted bail but received a travel ban to prevent her from leaving Hong Kong.
Murder convictions in Hong Kong carry a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment, as the death penalty was fully abolished in 1993. Choi's mother filed a court injunction to prevent Kwong Kau from selling the property linked to her daughter's murder and sought a declaration that Choi was the rightful owner of the apartment.
A pre-trial conference was held on 8 May 2023, where six of the seven suspects appeared in court. The prosecution revealed that bloodstains matching Choi's DNA were found inside her former brother-in-law's car, and more than 30 exhibits seized from the village, including knives, chainsaws, and hammers, were sent for DNA processing.
What Happened to Abby Choi? - FAQs
Abby Choi was a model, socialite, and Internet celebrity from Hong Kong. She was reported missing in February 2023 and tragically found dead three days later, with her body decapitated and some body parts concealed in a refrigerator.
Abby Choi was reported missing on February 21, 2023, and her decapitated body was discovered on February 24, 2023, in a village in Tai Po, Hong Kong. Certain body parts were hidden in a refrigerator, and others were subjected to cooking. The case has been classified as a murder.
Authorities in Hong Kong believe that Abby Choi's murder was motivated by a financial dispute with her ex-husband's family. The family was dissatisfied with how she managed her assets, which ultimately became a driving force behind the crime.
As of the latest update, seven suspects have been apprehended in connection with Abby Choi's murder. The investigation is ongoing, with efforts to gather evidence and determine the full details of the case. A pre-trial conference was held on May 8, 2023, where six of the seven suspects appeared in court.
Murder charges have been filed against Abby Choi's former husband, former brother-in-law, former parents-in-law, and others involved in the case. Additional charges related to theft were filed against her ex-husband. The police made gruesome discoveries, including finding Choi's severed head and ribs in a pot of cooked soup. The search for missing body parts is ongoing. A court injunction was filed to prevent the sale of the property linked to Choi's murder, and a pre-trial conference was held to present evidence, including bloodstains matching Choi's DNA found in her former brother-in-law's car.